Tool having selective stop



Jan. 9, 1968 Q E. HADDEN 3,36

TOOL HAVING SELECTIVE STOP Filed Sept. 10, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 E. L. HADDEN Jan. 9, 1968 TOOL HAVING SELECTIVE STOP 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 10, 1965 Jan. 9, 1968 E. L. HADDEN TOOL HAVING SELECTIVE STOP 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Sept. 10, 1965 United States Patent 3,362,060 TOOL HAVING SELECTIVE STOP Edward Leal Hadden, Mechanicsburg, Pa., assignor to AMP Incorporated, Harrisburg, Pa. Filed Sept. 10, 1965, Ser. No. 486,504 4 Claims. (Cl. 29-403) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Tool for making clip-type electrical connections in which wire or wires are held against terminal post by individual clip has reeiprocable clip pusher for pushing terminal clip past wire and onto the terminal post. When several connections are to be made to one terminal post, travel of clip pusher is arrested by selective stop to locate clip at the desired level. This stop comprises a plurality of side-by-side stop bars disposed beside the path of reciprocation of the clip pusher. Stop bars are individually movable laterally of clip pusher path to positioning such that they function to arrest movement of the clip pusher.

tops are spaced-apart from each other by an amount equal to the length of the clip so that clips can be precisely located on the terminal post.

This invention relates to the device for making clip-type electrical connections.

Clip-type electrical connections, which are now commonly known to the art, are made by moving a generally channel-shaped terminal clip along a path over a mandrel and onto the terminal post. The conductor which is to be electrically connected to the post is positioned in an opening in the mandrel so that the clip, during its movement onto the post, moves against the conductor and drags it over the surface in the mandrel onto the post. In the finished electrical connection, the clip is in embracing relationship to the post and the conductor is confined between one side of the clip and a surface of the post and extends toward the base of the post, emerging from confined relationship at the end of the clip which is proximate to the fixed end or base of the post.

Quite frequently, two or three electrical connections are made to a single terminal post with the terminal clips for the electrical connections being stacked on the post. When several such connections are made to a single post, it is necessary to insure that the second, third or subsequent clip applied to the post is not jammed against a previously applied clip since such jamming of the clips could result in damage and a resulting substandard electrical connection. The present invention is specifically directed to a device for making clip-type electrical connections having improved means for controlling the movement of the clip onto the post and particularly for preventing jamming of the clips against each other when several clips are mounted on a single post.

An object of the invention is thus to provide an improved apparatus for making clip-type electrical connections. A further object is to provide an apparatus having an improved changeable stop for the clip-pushing means.

These and other objects of the invention are achieved in a preferred embodiment comprising a pneumatically actuated hand tool for making clip-type electrical connections including a conventional mandrel and a clip pusher which is reciprocable along a path extending over, and beyond the end of, the mandrel so that the clip pusher is capable of pushing the individual clip onto a post disposed in axial alignment with the mandrel. A plurality of individual stop members are located in sideby-side relationship beside the path of reciprocation of the clip pusher and are individually movable into the path to function as individual stops for the clip pusher and thereby limit the extent of its travel. If several electrical connections are to be made to a single terminal post, an appropriate stop is moved into the path of movement of the clip pusher when the first connection is being made which permits the clip pusher to move this first clip to a location adjacent to the base of the post. When a second or succeeding electrical connection is made to the same post, another one of the stops is utilized to locate the second succeeding connection at the predetermined distance from, but adjacent to, the earlier made connections.

The stop members are all resiliently biased to normal positions beside the path of movement of the clip pusher but are individually movable from their normal position to positions in which they intersect the path. Additionally, latch means are provided which is effective to latch any one of the stop members in its second or effective position. The arrangement is such that when any one of the individual stop members is moved to its second position, the latch means is disengaged from any other stop member which is already in its second position and the other stop member, under the influence of its resilient biasing means, automatically returns to its normal position.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a side view partly in section of a preferred form of hand tool in accordance with the invention;

FIGURE 2 is an exploded view showing the clip pusher, the anvil, the frame members, and the associated structure in the forward end of the tool;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken along the lines 3-3 of FIGURE 8 and illustrating the positions of the parts at the beginning of the operating cycle;

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 3 but showing the positions of the parts at a time midway through the operating cycle;

FIGURE 5 is a view taken along the lines 5-5 of FIG- URE 3 showing a split-cycle mechanism which is effective to interrupt the cycle of the tool, the parts being shown in this figure in the positions they occupy at the beginning of the cycle;

FIGURE 6 is a view similar to FIGURE 5 but showing the portions of the parts at the end of the cycle;

FIGURE 7 is a view taken along the lines 77 of FIGURE 2 and showing the stop mechanism for controlling the feeding of the strip of clips;

FIGURE 8 is a view taken along the lines 8-8 of FIGURE 1 and showing the variable stop means for the clip pusher;

FIGURE 9 is a view taken along the lines 99 of FIGURE 3; and

FIGURE 10 is a perspective view of three clip-type electrical connections on a single post.

A typical clip-type electrical connection (FIGURE 10) comprises a terminal post 178 and a generally channelshaped clip 183 which is in surrounding and embracing relationship to the post. The web of the clip is disposed against one side of the post with the sidewalls extending past the edges of the post and with the curled ends of the sidewalls 188 disposed against the opposite side. The stripped end 182 of the wire 184 is confined between the web and one side of the post and the insulated portions of the wire emerge from confined relationship at the end of the clip which is proximate to the lower or fixed end of the post. Advantageously, an outwardly cupped strain relief and insulation support 190 is provided at this lower end of the clip to guide the wire from confined relationship. Clip-type electrical connections are fully disclosed and described in application Ser. No. 171,074, now Patent No. 3,238,918, issued Mar. 15, 1966.

When several clip-type electrical connections are made to a single post as shown in FIGURE 10, it is important that the clips should not be jammed against each other during movement onto the post since such jamming of the clips could result in their being damaged with a resulting inferior finished connection. A tool in accordance with the present invention incorporates means for preventing such damage to the connections in combination with other advanced features as will now be described.

A tool 2 (FIGURE 1) in accordance with the invention has a pneumatic cylinder 4 and a piston rod 6. The tool shown is of the pistol-grip type and has a depending handle 8 with a trigger 10 for controlling a suitable valve means (not specifically shown). The head 12 of the cylinder 4 has integral bosses 14, 16 extending therefrom which support the frame structure shown in FIGURE 2. This frame structure comprises a top frame bar 24 which extends towards the nose portion of the tool, a separate downwardly and obliquely extending frame member 26 at the nose portion, and a horizontally extending support plate 23 which projects rearwardly from the frame section 26. The right-hand end of the frame member 24 is supported on the boss 14 and the frame structure is additionally supported by suitable fasteners 30 which extend through the frame structure to side plates 18, 20. The side plate 20 has a top flange 22 which covers the top side of the tool as shown in FIGURE 3.

The forward end 32 of the frame member 24 is enlarged and has a recess 34 within which a mandrel block 36 is mounted by suitable fasteners. Recess 34 is open at its sides at 196 and compressed air lines 192, 194 extend to these openings. One of these lines carries compressed air from the valve mechanism and directs a blast of air across the block 32 towards the other line which extends to the handle of the tool. The purpose of this arrangement is to remove the sections of insulation which remain in the tool after each Operatin g cycle.

A T-shaped mandrel comprising a rib 38 and a head portion 40 extends from the upper side of the mandrel block and a wire-receiving opening 42 is provided in the mandrel intermediate its ends. A relatively narrow slot 44 extends rearwardly in the frame member 24 from the inner end of the recess 34 and a relatively thin plate 46 is mounted in this slot 44 and projects above the upper surface of frame member 24. The projecting portion of this plate constitutes a guide rib for a strip of terminal clips which are fed over the upper surface of frame member 24 in a manner described below. The leading end of this strip will normally be disposed against a displaceable stop member 52 (FIGURE 7) which is integral with a pair of parallel levers 54 pivotally mounted on a common axis 56 in a pair of slots 58 on each side of the rib 46. The levers 54 are provided with upwardly extending ears 59 connected by a cross bar 55. This cross bar is disposed in a transversely extending notch 57 in the frame member 24 and the ears normally extend above the upper surface of the frame member. The arrangement is such that upon leftward movement of a clip pusher (described below) the levers "and, therefore, the stop member, are cammed downwardly thereby to permit feeding of the strip of clips leftwardly as viewed in FIGURE 2. An obliquely extending tang 60 is formed on the forward end of the plate 46 to prevent retractile movement of the strip during operation of the tool.

The strip of clips is fed by means of generally channelshaped clip pusher 38 which rests upon, and is reciprocable over, the upper surface of the frame member 24, this clip pusher having inwardly directed integral tangs 50 at its forward end which are adapted to lodge between the leading clip of strip and the next adjacent clip. It will be understood that the channel-shaped clip pusher straddles the strip which is drawn from a suitable supply reel mounted, as shown in FIGURE 1, on the upper side of the tool. The clip pusher is provided with a channel-shaped liner 51 extending for its full length which has laterally extending flanges 53 at its righ-hand end as shown in FIGURE 2. These flanges are welded to a yoke member 64 having depending sides 66 which straddle the frame member 24 and which also straddle a reciprocable L-shaped coupling block 68 on the end of the piston rod 6. A slot 70 is provided in the base of block 68 and a pin 72 extends through this slot. The projecting ends of this pin have reduced diameter neck sections which are received in notches 74 extending upwardly in the lower edges of the sidewalls 66. It should be explained that the primary function of this pin 72 is to prevent the sidewalls 66 from being flexed outwardly and away from each other during operation of the tool for reasons explained below. This arrangement is not utilized as a lost motion coupling between the block 68 and the sidewalls of the yoke 64 since the yoke is coupled to the block by other means described below.

The piston rod 6 is connected to the yoke 64 (and therefore to the clip pusher 38) by means of an overload release-type coupling and a disengageable rigid coupling, these two couplings being in mechanical parallel with each other so that thrust can be transmitted from the piston rod to the clip pusher through either coupling. This arrangement of coupling the piston rod to the clip pusher is explained in detail in U.S. Patent No. 3,186,072. The arrangement of the instant tool conforms to the general teachings of that patent although it differs from the teachings of 3,186,072 in certain mechanical respects which will be apparent from the following description.

A lever 76 is pivotally mounted between the sidewalls of a recess 78 on the upper end of the coupling block 68 on a pivot pin 77. This lever is resiliently biased upwardly as viewed in FIGURE 2 by a spring 80 and has a cylindrical boss 82 at its forward end. A pin 84 extends through this boss and its projecting ends are adapted to be received in notches 86 in the sidewalls 66 of the yoke 64. The notches 86 extend inwardly from the front edges of the sidewalls and upwardly so that the ends of the pin 84 bear against vertical surfaces 88 to constitute a rigid coupling between the piston rod 66 and the yoke. This coupling can be disengaged by swinging the lever 76 downwardly until the ends of pin 84 do not bear against the surfaces 88. It will be noted that the sides 90, 92 of the notches are convergent to guide the pin ends into the notch when the two members are coupled. Disengagement of this rigid coupling between the piston rod and the clip pusher takes place during relative leftward movement of the piston rod and the coupling block and is achieved by a camming surface 94 on the underside of the frame member 24. When the coupling block moves past this camming surface, lever 76 is thus swung downwardly and away from the surface 88 of the notches. The coupling achieved by the lever 76 is thus a disengageable rigid coupling which is broken during forward movement of the clip pusher.

The overload release coupling between the coupling block and the yoke 64 comprises a pair of parallel arms 96 pivotally mounted on the surface of the coupling block on a common pivot pin 98. Cylindrical rollers are mounted in suitable notches in the righthand ends of these arms and project laterally beyond their surfaces. The arms are resiliently biased apart by means of a coil spring 102 (FIGURE 9), a set screw 104 being provided in the side of one arm to permit adjustment of the compression of the spring.

The sidewalls 66 of the yoke are provided with rectangular openings 99 into which the rollers 100 project when the overload release coupling between the piston rod and the clip pusher is engaged. When the clip pusher encounters a predetermined resistance (determined by the degree of compression of spring 102), upon disengagement of this overload release coupling, the arms 96 move relatively towards each other and the rollers 10!) move out of the openings in the yoke sidewall 66.

As explained fully in the previously identified Patent 3,186,072, the disengageable rigid coupling is provided in tools of this type for the reason that a relatively high thrust must be applied to the terminal clip while it is being pushed over the mandrel and particularly while it is dragging the wire from the opening in the mandrel. After the wire has been dragged from the mandrel, the rigid coupling is broken by cam surface 94 and thrust is transmitted from the piston rod to the clip pusher only through the overload release coupling. The overload release coupling is then broken when the terminal clip reaches its final desired position on the post and the piston rod is permitted to complete its forward stroke without an accompanying movement of the clip pusher.

The limit of forward movement of the clip pusher is determined by the setting of the selective stop means shown in FIGURES 3 and 8. This stop means comprises three stop bars 144, 146, 148 and an additional control bar 150 disposed in parallel side-by-side relationship beside the path of movement of the clip pusher and the yoke '64. The bars are mounted in suitable openings in a guide block 140 secured to the side plate 18 by fasteners 142. Additionally, a housing 152 is mounted against the plate 140 and encloses the control mechanisms for the stops described below. The stops 144, 146, 148 are each provided with a pair of transversely extending parallel notches 154, 156 on their upper sides while the control bar 150 has a single notch 155 which is aligned with the notches 154 in the stop bars. A latch bar or bail 160 extends past the rods 144450 and has its ends 162 bent laterally and mounted in holes in the sides of the housing 152. A torsion spring 164 normally biases this latch bar in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIGURE 3 but permits its upward movement against the biasing force of the spring. Any one of the bars 144-150 can thus be moved rightwardly from its normal position until the bail is cammed out of the notch 154 and is located in the notch 156. Thus, in FIGURE 8 the bar 148 has been moved inwardly until its end lies in the path of movement of the yoke 64. Tabs 153 are provided on the ends of the bars to facilitate their being pressed inwardly.

The bars 144-150 are normally biased leftwardly (to the positions of the bars 144, 146, 150 in FIGURE 8) by means of torsion return springs 166 mounted on a rod 168. Each spring has one end 170 which bears against the block 140 and has another end received in a suitable notch in the bar with which the spring is associated. These return springs are thus stressed when an individual one of the stops is moved inwardly.

The bar 150 does not function as a stop since the single notch 155 provided in this bar locks it in its retracted or out position and it is not provided with a notch that would be effective in its in position. This bar 150 is provided in order to prevent jamming of the mechanism by simultaneous depression of all of the bars. In other Words, if the plates 158 on the three bars 144, 146, 148 were pressed simultaneously, the three bars would be moved to their in positions and they could be returned to their normal positions only by pressing the plate on the bar 150.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that the yoke 64- can be stopped from forward movement by any one of the stop members 144, 146, 148. Thus, if four electrical connections are to be made to a single post, the first connection would be made with all of the stops in their normal or out positions. The second connection would be made with the stop 148 in its in position and the second terminal clip would be positioned in a predetermined distance from the first clip. Succeeding connections would, of course, be made using the appropriate stop to achieve the desired spacing.

Turning now to FIGURES 5 and 6, the disclosed embodiment of the invention is equipped with a split-cycle mechanism of the general type described in U.S. Patent No. 3,186,075. This split-cycle mechanism is effective to interrupt the forward stroke of the clip pusher after it has moved the terminal clip to the leading end of the mandrel head. The advantage of this arrangement is that the operator can hold the tool in any convenient and comfortable orientation while he is inserting the wire into the mandrel opening and effecting the movement of the clip to the end of the mandrel head. He can then position the tool in alignment with the terminal post and actuate the cylinder to carry out the second portion of the split cycIe and he is free, during this portion, to concentrate on the problem of maintaining proper alignment between the mandrel and the terminal post during the clip-applying operation.

The split cycle mechanism of FIGURES 5 and 6 is similar in many respects to the mechanism shown in Patent No. 3,186,075 and comprises a first lever 108 having a pin-slot connection 110, 112 with the plate 28 intermediate its ends. The pin 112 extends from the underside of the lever 108 and the slot is provided in the plate 28 so that the lever can move relatively upwardly as viewed in FIGURE 5 to the position of FIGURE 6. When the lever 108 is in the position of FIGURE 5, it is resiliently biased against a stop pin 122 in the plate 28 by means of a torsion spring 114 mounted on a pin 115 which is also mounted in the plate 28. One arm of this spring bears against the side of the lever 108 and biases it in a clockwise direction about the axis of the pin 108.

A pin 116 extends from the underside of the coupling block and moves with the coupling block from its retracted position shown in FIGURE 5 to its forward position (FIGURE 6) during each forward stroke of the coupling block. The left-hand side of the lever 108 (as viewed in FIGURES 5 and 6) is provided with pockets 118, 120 which conform to the surface of the pin 116 in order to permit the pin 116 to control the movements of the lever.

An additional lever 124 is pivoted on the previously identified pin 115 and extends diagonally across the surface of the plate 28 above the lever 108. This lever is notched on its left-hand side as shown at 126 and has a pin-slot connection 132, 134 with the plate 28, the slot 134 being arcuate to permit arcuate movement of the lever with respect to its pivotal axis 115. A hook-like keeper 130 is pivotally mounted on the pin 132 and, when the parts are in the positions of FIGURE 5, extends partilly across the open side of the notch 126. The end of this keeper is, however, not in alignment with the left-hand side of the lever and the book will be swung in a clockwise direction about its pivotal axis 132 when the pin 116 is moved upwardly.

The lever 124 is resiliently biased to the position of FIGURE 5 by means of a torsion spring 136 having one arm anchored in the plate 28 and having its other arm mounted in the end of the lever. A stop in the form of a struck-up tang 138 is provided in the end of the lever 124 to limit the pivotal movement of the keeper 130.

In use, the parts will be in the position of FIGURE 5 in the beginning of the operating cycle and the operator, after inserting the wire into the opening in the mandrel, supplies air to the cylinder 4 by initial depression of the trigger to drive the piston rod, the coupling block, and, therefore, the pin 116 upwardly. As the pin moves forwardly (upwardly in FIGURE 5), it first swings the lever 124 through a slight clockwise arc and then moves into the notch 120 in the lever 108. It then holds this lever upwardly until the limit of the pin-slot movement has been achieved. The pin 116 will then be prevented from further movement constituting the first phase of the interrupted cycle of the tool. The operator then releases his finger pressure on the trigger and the piston rod and coupling rod can move rearwardly under the influence of the return spring contained in the cylinder 4. Alternatively, if the piston-cylinder is of the double-acting type, the piston and piston rod will move rearwardly under the influence of compressed air. The pin 116 is stopped from rearward movement after it has moved against the lower end of the slot 126 in lever 124. At this time, the lever 103 will swing through a slight clockwise arc under the influence of spring 114 about the axis of the pin 112 until it moves against the stop pin 122. This pivotal movement of the lever 108 opens the path of movement for the pin 116 to the limit of its forward stroke so that when the operator again depresses the trigger, the pin 116 moves from its intermediate position to the position shown in FIG- URE 6. During this portion of the cycle, pin 116 causes the keeper 1.30 to swing through a substantial are about its pivotal axis 132 and then moves upwardly beyond the end of the keeper as shown in FIGURE 6. When the parts reach the position of FIGURE 6, the forward stroke of the piston rod will have been completed and the terminal clip will have been moved entirely onto the post.

When the piston rod is retracted, the pin 116 returns to the position of FIGURE and, in doing so, swings the lever 130 about its pivotal axis in a counterclockwise direction, moves downwardly as viewed in FIGURE 6 over the left-hand side of the lever 124, and into the pocket 118 in the lever 108. The pin, after moving into this pocket 118, drags the lever 108 relatively downwardly until the relative positions of the parts shown in FIGURE 5 are achieved.

It is believed that the operation of the disclosed tool will be apparent from the foregoing description. The feeding of the strip of clips, the control of the rigid and overload release couplings, the control of the split cycle operation are substantially the same as described in US. Patents 3,186,072, 3,186,073, and 3,186,075 referred to above. The location of the terminal clip on the post is controlled by actuating an appropriate one of the stops 144, 146, 148. The overload release coupling in the disclosed tool is broken when the yoke 64- moves against the selected one of the stops which is in its in position and the movement of the clip onto the post is stopped instantaneously at the time of engagement of the yoke with the stop.

Changes in construction will occur to those skilled in the art and various apparently different modifications and embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. The matter set forth in the foregoing description and accompanying drawings is offered by way of illustration only. The actual scope of the invention is intended to be defined in the following claims when viewed in their proper perspective against the prior art.

I claim:

1. In a tool for making clip-type electrical connections and having a reciprocable clip pushing member, a selective stop for said reciprocable clip pushing member, said stop comprising, a plurality of stop members disposed adjacent to the path of reciprocation of said reciprocable clip pushing member, all of said stop members being normally disposed in a first position beside said path of reciprocation, said stop members being individually movable to a second position on said path of reciprocation, resilient means biasing said stop members to said first position but permitting movement of said stop members to their second positions, and releasable latch means for holding any one of said stop members in its second position to stop said reciprocable clip pushing member,

whereby, a plurality of electrical connections on a single terminal post can be spaced from each other by an amount equal to the spacing between said stop members.

2. In a device for making clip-type electrical connections and having a reciprocable clip pushing member movable along a rectilinear path, an improved stop means for said reciprocable clip pushing member comprising, a plurality of individual stop members normally disposed in a first position in which said stop members are in side-by-side relationship beside said path, said stop members being individually movable to a second position in which a portion of each stop member lies on said path, resilient means biasing said stop members to said first position, latch means for said stop members, said latch means being effective to latch said stop members in either of said positions, and means for disengaging said latch means from all of said stop means during movement of any one of said stop means from said first position to said second position whereby, upon movement of one of said stop means from said first position to said second position, any other one of said stop means in its second position is returned to its first position under the influence of its respective resilient means, said stop means permitting accurate location of a plurality of clip-type connections on a single terminal post.

3. A device as set forth in claim 2 wherein said latching means comprises a single bail member, each stop bar having a pair of spaced-apart notches extending transversely thereacross, said bail member being disposed in one notch of a given bar when said given bar is in its first position and being disposed in the other notch of the given bar when said given bar is in its second position, a second resilient means biasing said bail member into the notches of said bars, said bars being movable between said positions against the force of said second biasing means.

4. In a tool of the type having a reciprocable clippushing means for making clip-type electrical connections, selective stop means for said clip-pushing means, said stop means comprising a plurality of stop bars disposed adjacent to the path of reciprocation of said clippushing means with their axes extending transversely of said path, said stop bars being normally disposed in a first position beside said path and being individually movable transversely of said path to a second position in which said bars lie on said path, a first resilient means biasing each of said stop bars to said first position, and latching means for latching each of said stop bars individually in its second position, said bars each having a pair of spaced-apart notches thereon, said latching means comprising a bail bar engageable with said notches to latch said stop bars in either of said positions.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,186,072 6/1965 Cobaugh 29-203 3,186,073 6/1965 Cobaugh et al. 29203 3,186,075 6/196'5 Vickery 29-203 3,249,992 5/1966 Long 29-203 THOMAS H. EAGER, Primary Examiner. 

